


Mixed Signals

by Seito



Series: bad boyfriend Iggy [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Crack, F/M, Humor, M/M, Prompto is here too, he just doesn't have a lot of lines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 05:04:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16111400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seito/pseuds/Seito
Summary: What are you supposed to do when your crush’s fiancee is CLEARLY trying to set you up with your crush (her future husband!)????





	Mixed Signals

**Author's Note:**

> Or Gladio and Alise finally meet.

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon when Ignis cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention. 

“What’s up, Iggy?” Noctis asked. “Homework is done, Gladio brought over the movie for tonight, and I know there isn't anything pressing on the schedule you read off this morning.” 

Noctis knew, there was no fun until all the chores and duties were done. Ignis and Prompto would show up bright and early to tackle homework. Gladio showed up around lunch with the paperwork that Noctis had to finish as part of his Princely duties. Noctis did it with minimal complaining because Gladio had brought over the newest horror movie for the four of them to watch over dinner. 

“Yes…” Ignis said. “I know this our time to hang out, but she's been asking to meet you three in and I quote “as was informal of a setting as I can arrange." And well this seemed as good as any time.”

Noctis realized with a dimming horror that Ignis was… nervous. That was baffling. Noctis couldn’t remember the last time Ignis was this clearly nervous. 

“Who?” Noctis asked with a sinking suspicion. 

“Lady Alise Silveira,” Ignis said. 

Oh. _Oh_. Her. Iggy’s fiancee. He tried not to wince. There was nothing wrong with Lady Alise. Noctis had been introduced to her by Ignis several times, usually at the many formal events Noctis had to attend. She was nice. Not Ignis’ type in Noctis’ opinion, but it could have been worst. 

Ignis looked at him expectantly and Noctis knew that if he said no, Ignis would concede with a nod of his head and Lady Alise wouldn’t step a foot into Noctis’ apartment. Noctis desperately wanted to say no, this was their time alone. No formalities, no expectations. 

But…

But… Ignis was going to marry her soon, once he was done with college. She was going to become apart of Ignis’ life whether Noctis wanted it or not and it might be better if they were on friendly terms. 

“Okay,” Noctis said. “But I’m going to insist she doesn’t call me Your Highness. If she wants informal, it’s going to be informal.” 

Ignis gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Noct. She will probably enjoy that, truthfully. I will return with her in twenty minutes then.” 

“So… who?” Prompto asked, the minute after Ignis walked out of the apartment. 

“Lady Alise Silveira is the only daughter of Lord Krists Silveira,” Gladio said. “She’s well, a nice woman, polite. You can tell she’s got a bit of mischievous side.” 

“She’s also Iggy’s fiancee,” Noctis said miserably. 

“No way!” Prompto said. 

“What?” Gladio said. 

Noctis blinked, sitting up straighter. He looked at his Shield, surprised. “You didn’t know?” Noctis asked. 

That was strange. Knowing people was Gladio’s entire job. Ignis’ role as Noctis’ future Advisor was to know the cold hard facts, to make the logical choice, not the emotional one. Gladio’s role as Noctis’s Shield wasn’t just limited to physical protection, but emotional one. Gladio had to know everyone in the Royal Court which was a viper’s den on a good day. Gladio was to be the heart, the emotional choice to Ignis’ logical ones. 

So how had Gladio not known that Ignis and Lady Alise were engaged? 

“I know of her,” Gladio protested. Then more quietly, “I didn’t know she was engaged to Iggy.” 

Noctis felt a twinge of discomfort. He knew something was going on with Gladio and Ignis, but he hadn’t pried. 

“You going to be okay, big guy?” Prompto asked, clearly picking up on it too. 

Gladio gave them a twisted smile. “I’ll have to be.” 

-.-.-

Betrayal was a good word. Even if it wasn’t really betrayal. 

Gladio tried not to feel like his heart was shattering into tiny bitty pieces like how often it was waxing poetically described in his novels. 

He thought… 

They had been dancing around the issue for months now. Gladio knew where he stood. He loved Ignis. And he had thought that Ignis _liked_ him back. There had been enough side glances and lingering touches, there had been curling up and pressing close during their last movie marathon with just the two of them. 

Perhaps he had been reading too much in them. 

Gladio didn’t know that Ignis was engaged to another girl. Arranged marriage probably given that Ignis had never brought her up before. But it stinged to know that Ignis hadn’t said anything, one way or another. 

“Good evening, Your Highness,” Alise said with a curtsy. 

“Just Noctis,” Noctis said. “You said informal and I really don’t like being called Your Highness.”

Alise smiled, joining them at the table as Ignis fetched refreshments. “Of course.”

“Oh man, you’re the lady from video rental shop!” Prompto shouted. 

Alise grinned. “Yes! Thank you for your recommendation. Seven movies was a bit much to marathon, but I enjoyed it.” 

And that there was the reason why it was so hard to hate this. Alise was a nice woman. She was a good match to Ignis. There were far worse harpies in the Royal Court and Gladio was happy that Ignis ended up with her. 

Alise beamed at him. “You must be Gladiolus.” 

“Just Gladio is fine,” Gladio said, pushing it all aside. Make nice. She was going to be important to Ignis. 

Alise nodded. “I want you to know you have my full blessing.” 

A chill went down Gladio’s spine. Full blessing for what? To… continue tip toeing behind her back with Ignis? No. This wasn’t a romance novel. He wasn’t going to be Ignis’ dirty little secret. He had more pride than that. 

“Alise,” Ignis said lightly groaning. “How long are you going to hold this over my head?” 

Hold what? Their almost relationship?

Alise smiled innocently. “How long did I hold it over you skipping my sixteenth birthday?” 

“We agreed to never bring that up,” Ignis said hastily. 

“Sounds like there’s a story there,” Prompto said, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“I’m sorry, he keeps me quiet with chocolate souffles,” Alise said solemnly. 

“Ignis does make great chocolate souffles,” Gladio said, awkwardly jumping into the conversation. 

“Yes,” Alise agreed. “You’re a lucky man to get one every day.” 

Gladio blinked. What? That sounded strange somehow. 

“Wait,” Noctis said, eyes narrowing as he sat up straighter. “Chocolate souffles?”

“As in the one dessert I keep hearing about but have never tasted,” Prompto cut in.

“The one Ignis never makes for me, no matter how much I ask,” Noctis said. 

“Yes, that one. The one he hates making,” Alise said, smile growing ever wider. 

Wait. Gladio tried to put together what they were all saying. Ignis… hated making chocolate souffles? That made no sense because Ignis would always show up with a chocolate souffle every day for Gladio to try. They tasted amazing, regardless of the fact that Ignis would say the mergiene was melting or the cake hadn’t properly raised. 

He looked over to Ignis who, to Gladio’s absolute surprise, was blushing a bright red. 

What?

“Ignis only makes his special chocolate souffle _only for his special people_ under very special circumstances,” Alise said, pinning Gladio with a look. 

What. No. She couldn’t possibly be implying. 

Was it a threat for him to back off because she knew? No, that made her earlier words make no sense. 

“Alise,” Ignis sputtered. 

“Oh no, Ignis dear,” Alise said with a smile. “I gave you three months to resolve this. I won’t have anymore of this pining. This isn’t a romance novel, unless you count the emotional blackmail, but your chocolate souffles are worth dishing out the emotional blackmail.” 

She waved her hand dismissively. “No, the point here is that it has been four months since our engagement officially broke and _**you haven’t made a move yet**_.” 

The room went completely silent. 

Gladio stared at her, stared at Ignis with wide eyes. Officially broke. As in… they were no longer engaged? Wait. 

“Holy shit,” Prompto said, breaking the silence. “I give. This is too much subtle, read-in-between-the-lines for this pleb. What is going on here?” 

That was an excellent question! 

“Ignis and I have been engaged because of a marriage contract made between our grandparents,” Alise said. “But honestly, the only one enforcing it was my father and we buried him four months ago. When I asked Ignis if he wanted to break the contract, he said yes because _he’s love in with someone else_.”

Alise stared straight at Gladio. 

Gladio swallowed. A burst of hope glimmered in his chest. 

“So you’re not engaged anymore,” Noctis said. “And you don’t love Ignis.”

“Correct,” Alise said with a wide smile. “We’re friends only.” 

She was still staring directly at Gladio. 

By the Six. Him? Ignis loved him? 

“Iggy?” Gladio asked. 

Ignis was a bright red and could barely look him in the eye. “I do,” Ignis said, words sputtering and so very unlike him. “I do, love you, I mean.” 

Gladio couldn’t help himself, reaching over to kiss Ignis. Joy jumped through his heart, as he pressed as much love as he possibly could against Ignis’ lips. This was everything he had wished for, hoped for and -

“Not in front of the kids, you two.” 

Gladio pulled away from Ignis, mortification filling his chest. He looked at the three bystanders, Noctis had his head buried in his hands, Prompto was clapping and Alise looked at them, smug. 

“You’re impossible, Alise,” Ignis said. 

“You would be lost without me,” she said. She stood, her blue dress swishing around her. “With that, my job is done. I’ll leave you boys to enjoy your movie night.” 

“You’re not staying?” Ignis said. 

Alise grinned at him. “I know better than to intrude on boys’ only night.”

“Then I’ll drive you home,” Ignis said. 

She waved him off. “Sit, Ignis. I’ve already alerted Niks to send a driver. I do expect you and Gladio this friday for our attempt at a weekly lunch.” 

Alise gave Gladio an amused look. “Please make sure he shows up, Gladio. I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Right,” Gladio said dizzily. His head was still spinning, trying to warp his mind around the last five minutes. 

She reached out to grasp both of his hands. “I’m entrusting Ignis to you,” Alise said seriously. “I expect you to treat him well, you hear?” 

Gladio nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes. I will.” 

“Good.” Alise laughed, spinning to turn to face Ignis. “And you-”

“I owe you chocolate souffles for the rest of my life,” Ignis said. 

Alise giggled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Of course you do,” she said with such glee. “Friday, Ignis. Do not stand me up this time or I’m going to let Royal Court’s gossip circle tear you apart.” 

She left them with another wave, walking out the door. 

“Oh man,” Prompto said.

“The gossip circle, huh?” Noctis said. “Harsh.” 

“She…” Gladio struggled for the right word. “Formidable.” 

Ignis groaned, dragging a hand across his face. “And you have no idea how grateful I am that she’s on our side.” 

Gladio chuckled, reaching out to squeeze Ignis’ hand. He agreed. There was a lot he would have thank her for. 

His heart skipped a beat when Ignis squeezed back. 

“Anything I can do to help?” Gladio asked. 

Ignis smiled. “Help me get revenge by finding her perfect match.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Alise doesn't have time to deal with oblivious idiots who can't communicate their love to each other. *cackles* 
> 
> And years later down the road, Ignis introduces Aranea to Alise.


End file.
